September 20, 2011
by CCHR Int—A new study published today in the American Journal of Family Therapy has found that millions of children have been misdiagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and wrongly prescribed amphetamine-like drugs categorized by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in the same class of highly addictive drugs as cocaine, opium and morphine.
The study conducted by researchers at the New England Center for Pediatric Psychology and the Rhode Island College Department of Special Education found that of the “over 5 million children who are now being treated with ADHD medication, a majority may be suffering from Faux-ADHD, a disorder linked to irregular bedtimes” and that a majority of the children diagnosed ADHD may be unnecessarily medicated. Now while we at CCHR applaud any study on the issue of “ADHD” which is not ghost written by Big Pharma or those with a vested interest in drugging kids, we would like to pose two simple questions regarding this latest study:
1) If there is such as thing as “Faux-ADHD” what exactly is “real” ADHD? There are no blood tests, brain scans, x-rays or genetic abnormalities that can prove any child has a “real” condition of ADHD. Therefore any diagnoses of ADHD is “Faux.” The criteria for an ADHD diagnoses rests entirely on a checklist of behaviors, including such “abnormal” child behavior as:
- “runs about or climbs excessively in situations when it is not appropriate”
- ” is often “on the go”
- “acts as if driven by a motor”
- “blurts out answers”
- “is easily distracted”
- ” loses pencils or toys”
- “often doesn’t seem to listen”
2) Given the diagnoses itself is not a medical condition, what child being prescribed drugs isn’t being “unnecessarily medicated?” ADHD drugs are classified by the DEA as schedule ll drugs because they are as highly addictive as cocaine, morphine and opium. ADHD drugs such as Ritalin, Concerta and Adderall are documented by the FDA and international drug regulatory agencies to cause hallucinations, mania, psychosis, drug dependence, stunted growth, insomnia, heart attack, suicidal ideation and sudden death. Normal children are simply being drugged. Not medicated. Drugged.
The fact is that any child diagnosed with ADHD has been misdiagnosed. Any child placed on cocaine–like ADHD drugs is being unnecessarily drugged. The diagnoses of ADHD in any circumstances is a Faux-diagnoses, serving only the psychiatric pharmaceutical industries and fueling their $4.8 billion a year ADHD drug empire.